March 6, 1884. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
183 
arranged somewhat in the form of a quadrangle, two lean- 
to ranges each 158 feet long in three divisions forming the 
flanks, while between these are three span-roofed houses 
each 63 feet long, several others being also fully occupied 
with treasures. One feature there, is the large numbers that 
are grown of particular species; for instance, there are 
something like 8 or 9000 plants of Odontoglossum Alexandra 
and 0. gloriosum, which enable the gardener, Mr. Yickery, 
to do what can be done in few establishments— i.e., cut 
Orchid flowers by the bushel. Again, in how few gardens 
can 200 healthy plants of the lovely Cattleya citrina be 
seen! yet at Sudbury House there is quite this number, about 
half in pots and the others on blocks or small rafts. In regard 
to these it may be mentioned as a fact worthy of notice that 
the plants in the baskets are much the stronger, the pseudo¬ 
bulbs being stouter and larger, the foliage also more vigorous 
and healthy. Those on the rafts are, however, suspended 
against the back wall, which they serve to furnish in some 
degree, and are therefore useful. Besides, the plants are per¬ 
fectly healthy and flower well, but are not quite so satisfac¬ 
tory as those in the baskets. Odontoglossum Kossi in an 
Pig. 86.—Odontoglossum Pollettianuro. 
adjoining division is represented by hundreds of plants, and 
the same method is observed with these as with the Cattleyas 
just named. The results also are similar, the plants in the 
baskets being much the finer, and bearing very handsome 
flowers. This is a point worth attention, and were the experi¬ 
ment tried with many other Orchids usually grown on blocks 
it is highly probable that the success would be as marked. 
As an example of the manner in which Orchid names are 
now unnecessarily multiplied, the beautiful Odontoglossum 
Sanderianum, which is now flowering abundantly at Sudbury 
House, is especially noteworthy. Practically, this is simply 
a large 0. constrictum, the sepals and petals being exactly 
similar in colour and markings, the lip differing very slightly 
in shape, and having one central instead of two lateral spots. 
The most striking difference is that 0. Sanderianum possesses 
a very pleasing fragrance, but this is not sufficient to give it 
specific value; and it is regretablethat while so many eminent 
botanists are endeavouring to avoid the confusion and dis¬ 
satisfaction that must arise from giving specific value to 
varietal characters, others are going to the opposite extreme. 
Still 0. Sanderianum is undoubtedly a beautiful Orchid, being 
easily grown, very free and graceful, amply sufficient to 
recommend it to growers. It would be unnecessary to 
describe in detail the inmates of the many other houses ; 
suffice it that all the principal genera are largely grown, 
Phalfenopsis in particular, and all alike are clean, healthy, 
and vigorous. 
These three establishments will serve to indicate that the 
attention paid to Orchids in suburban gardens is very far 
from decreasing, and notwithstanding the dispersion of some 
of the leading collections of past years there is substantial 
evidence that the total number of Orchids in cultivation has 
greatly increased. —Lewis Castle. 
NOTES ON POTATOES. 
It is a long time since Potatoes have been so plentiful and good 
as during this winter, and I believe T may safely say that the 
Potato crop of 1883 was one of the best ever lifted. For this we 
have principally to thank those who were the raisers or introduces 
of really disease-resisting varieties, such more especially as Magnum 
Bonum, Reading Hero, and Scotch Champion. Ours is by no means 
good land for growing Potatoes, being very heavy and cold, and is 
also too low-lying to suit them. In spite of these disadvantages we 
lifted highly satisfactory crops of the three above-mentioned sorts, 
all of which, owing probably to the very hot weather experienced 
during August, are of the best table quality. 
Scotch Champion is the most certain cropper, and having been 
found fully satisfactory it will again be planted to the extent of 
about one-third of the space annually devoted to Potatoes. Ugly it 
undoubtedly is, the largest tubers in addition being generally hollow 
in the centre, but they are good from the time of lifting till the end 
of February. To boil them is quite a mistake ; they should be 
steamed, and then they are floury and good. Magnum Bonums, 
however, do not steam well, and should be boiled. Several new 
varieties, including some of those alluded to by Mr. Fenn on 
page 100, and of which that veteran raiser is justly proud, proved 
disease-resisting and otherwise pleasing, but I shall not discard the 
Champions in favour of any of them, nor do I advise others to do so 
till further trials have been given them. 
Magnum Bonum evidently partly originated with seme American 
variety, both from its foliage and also from the fact of its requiring 
very hot weather to perfect the crop. Here, for instance, it is not 
invariably disease-resisting and of the best quality, and the cottagers 
were fast becoming disgusted with it. Last season’s results will 
cause a reaction in its favour. Reading Hero forms the longest 
haulm of all; but it does not branch much, and is very woody. It 
crops well, and the tubers can be both boiled and steamed satis¬ 
factorily. Those who particularly object to the Champions, owing 
to their ugliness, should give the Hero a trial. All should be given 
plenty of room, the Champions growing in rows not less than 
40 inches apart, the other two 3 feet apart, and the sets in each case 
about 1 foot apart. At these distances it is useless to attempt to 
crop between them. 
Turning from the latest to the earliest sorts, I can speak most 
favourably of the true Old Ashleaf, which I first received from Mr. 
Taylor, and which he grew extensively at Longleat. It makes but 
little haulm, crops heavily, and is the earliest of all. The tubers are 
tit for use when three parts grown, but are not good if kept. To 
succeed these we have Veitch’s Improved Ashleaf (which appears to 
me to be similar to Mona's Pride, Early Bird, and Carter’s First Crop), 
and this we grow extensively under the impression that it is the most 
profitable early sort. It keeps good to the end of the year. Carter’s 
First Crop when first grown by me cropped more heavily, but this 
would appear to be owing to the change of seed, as it cannot now be 
separated from Veitch’s. Myatt’s and Rivers’ Ashleafs are both old 
favourites, but either from being later or other causes are more 
liable to disease than Veitch’s, and are discarded, preferring rather 
to grow more of the latter. The best early round is Early Border, 
this making little haulm and yielding a surprisingly large number of 
good-sized handsome tubers. This variety, in common with the 
Old and Veitch’s Ashleafs, are excellent for frame culture, and look 
well on the exhibition table. 
We are now very strong in second earlies, many of the new T er 
varieties being included in this section. Fillbasket forms sturdy 
haulm, and yields heavy crops of fairly handsome and good-cooking 
tubers, but the variety is not so disease-resisting as could be wished, 
and I give the preference to Lady Truscott. The latter is, in my 
opinion, a model variety for gardeners where double cropping has 
to be practised. It forms stout and not very long haulm, the leaves 
being very broad, and produces an exceptionally heavy crop of 
tubers only slightly diseased, which prove excellent in quality. 
Early Regent (Fenn's) is in every respect a good companion for the 
last-mentioned. Reading Russet is rather more vigorous with me, 
but yields heavily, and the rough red-skinned tubers are generally 
of very good shape and quality. Triumph, another red round, is he 
only American variety continuously good with me, and this short- 
topped heavy-cropping sort is particularly suitable for small gardet s. 
Beauty of Hebron, a reddish American kidney, is much grown in 
